There have recently been proposals to allow access to the features and services provided by GSM and UMTS networks other than by accessing those networks in the conventional manner. In this regard, the conventional manner is by signalling between a mobile terminal and a conventional base station (macro base station) that has a dedicated connection to an MSC, and which provides coverage in the cell occupied by the mobile terminal using cellular telecommunication (e.g. GSM or UMTS) communication transport protocols. It has been proposed to increase network capacity and improve coverage by providing additional special base stations (femto to or micro base stations), also referred to as access points (APs), for example at a subscriber's home or office. It has also been proposed to use APs in the Long Term Evolution (LTE) telecommunications network currently being developed, but not yet implemented. LTE is likely to be the next network implementation after 3G.
An advantage of using an access point connected to the core network via ah IP network is that existing broadband DSL connections can be used to link mobile terminals with the network core without using the capacity of the radio access network or transmission network of a mobile telecommunications network. They therefore provide an infinitely cheaper point of access to mobile telecommunications networks than a standard Node B.
However, a disadvantage of these APs is that where there is overlap of coverage between the APs and the macro mobile telecommunications network, the APs can act as a source of interference and provide coverage holes in the macro network. There is therefore a need to minimise this interference by APs.
Further, APs may be sold as a commodity to be installed by end users with minimal instructions. It is therefore also beneficial that APs be easily configurable.